Sasha's Bears

A Bear family

18 July 2026

I have treated one very special patient this summer - a Mickey Mouse from 1992. He is of great sentimental value to his owner, as he was a present from his late and much loved grandmother.

Mickey was quite poorly an in need of all sorts of transplants as well as sartorial repairs, but fortunately his owner managed to find a donor - another Mickey Mouse from 1992.

From this kind donor, our Mickey received new boots, gloves and trousers, a new bow tie, and quite a quite a bit of black skin. With this, I managed to restore Mickey's head, and then repainted his eyes to give him 20/20 vision back.

Thomas James B.'s Mickey before treatment Thomas James B.'s Mickey with donor Thomas James B.'s Mickey after treatment

29 June

Not all patients come to Sasha's Teddy Bear Hospital for extensive treatment and have to stay for days or weeks. Some come for one specific precedure - like young Pip, who complained that he could no longer see very well at all.

His eyes were indeed really scratched, so I just replaced them with new identical ones, and Pip was finally able to see his young owner as clearly as on the day they first met.

An earlier patient, 60-something Monkey, a visitor to Britain, spent much longer in my care. I gave her a good clean, patched her arms and legs, re-stuffed her, and touched up her eyes. Monkey was collected by her owner's son, and very much looked forward to being reunited with her owner, who had had her since she was a little girl.

24 June

I had several patients at my Hospital recently whose owners were adamant that any treatment they received should not alter their character. This is very much in line with my preferred approach, so I was glad to help.

56-year-old Peter had some large holes patched, many smaller ones darned, and received all new stuffing. I also cleaned him, polished both his eyes and secured back in place the one that he had kept after it fell out, and re-embroidered his nose and smile.

Mr. Puppy, aged 43, who lived with his owner since her early childhood, regained his original colour when I cleaned him. He also received new stuffing, had his holes and loose stitching mended, and some threadbare areas reinfoirced from the inside. He definitely looked much livelier when leaving hospital.

Blue Ted, at 66, was the oldest of my recent patients, and he too, his owner insisted, had to maintain his character. Even with new stuffing, cleaner fur, mended holes, and re-embroidered nose, he was very much recognisably himself when collected after treatment.

18 June

Having run several Teddy Bear workshops in the last couple of years, this time I offered one called Advanced Teddy Bear Making.

Like all the previous ones, it was organised and hosted by the wonderful Rachel, Director of Bears at the Asquiths Bearpawium in Henley-on-Thames, whom I cannot thank enough.

Over three sessions, I showed my talented students how to make a traditional jointed Teddy in a smaller size - just over 4 inches tall.

I think everyone enjoyed the experience - I certainly did!

The bears we made, though based on the same pattern, were all very different - but all equally lovely.

My own creation was Rupert, a little bear who may appear a bit headstrong but is actually very much a softie))

Teddy Bears made at Advanced Workshop, June 2026

12 June

Today I met a gorgeous Asquiths bear called Archie, not to mention his wonderful owner. Even though Archie only needed a minor operation to have his joints tightened, the two of them came by train all the way from a seaside village near Brighton, as Archie's owner did not want him to suffer the indignity of being sent in the post.

When Archie arrived in the Hospital, I could not help giving him a big hug - I am sure you will agree that he is a remarkably huggable bear!

Hugging Archie Carole M.'s Archie after treatment Archie discovers a distant relative

While the owner took a walk around Caversham, I carried out the surgery, and Archie was soon making friends and swapping stories with my own Teddies, one of whom (an Asquiths, of course) turned out to be a distant relative. When the time came to say good-bye, we all parted like old friends who had know each other for years.

4 June

I was told that Pooh Bear (a Merrythought nightie holder) "has been very unwell for 50 years" before he was sent for treatment to Sasha's Teddy Bear Hospital. His owner's daughters wanted him restored as a surprise present for their mother's big anniversary this year.

After a good clean, I made Pooh Bear new paw pads, mended all the holes, and topped up his nose embroidery. I also replaced the broken zip on his back, and made a new inner bag for the nightie. When the birthday came, his owner thought at first her present was a new bear - only to realise a moment later that it was still her beloved old Pooh!

Teddy Rabbit's treatment was also a present, from his owner's partner, to celebrate the owner's (and Rabbit's) 32nd birthday. I cleaned and re-stuffed him, and mended his costume. Rabbit looked great - I would never guess he was a day over 18))

Much loved 40-year-old Fluffy also got a good clean and all new stuffing. When mending his holes, I underlined much of his skin with a new fabric, and also resorted to a discreet transplant to deal with one particularly big hole. Fluffy's owner said he looked fabulous upon his return from Hospital.

25 May

Tigers being an endangered species, it is no surprise that I had no tiger patients at my Teddy Bear Hospital this year - until 37-year-old Tigger arrived. Even though he had always accompanied his owner everywhere, Tigger's fur was still quite thick. Once I mended some holes, gave him a good clean, and added some stuffing, he looked absolutely gorgeous.

A large somewhat tired-looking vintage Schuko bear, known simply as Bear, came to me for a spa treatment. He explained that he needed to look his best because his owner was about to hand him over to her young granddaughter. Bear perked up considerably after treatment, and agreed to have both ears re-sewn more neatly to his head.

68-year-old Ted required a more extensive treatment - a present from his owner for his upcoming 70th birthday. I replaced all his paw pads and his broken squeaker, mended all the holes, and re-embroidered his nose. Both Ted and his owner were very pleased with Ted's transformation!

Jackie G.'s Tigger before treatment Jan W.'s Bear before treatment Paul H.'s Bear before treatment

Jackie G.'s Tigger after treatment Jan W.'s Bear after treatment Paul H.'s Bear after treatment

12 May

I rarely admit humans to Sasha's Teddy Bear Hospital but I could not turn down this doll, who is very dear to her owner. After 40 odd years of peace, one day she lost her head, much to the distress of the whole family. I managed to re-unite the doll with her head, washed her face, combed her hair, and ironed her dress and ribbon. The doll was most pleased, and promised to look after her head better from now on.

60-something Big Ted came to the Hospital with his newly adopted brother Little Ted (age unknown), whom his owner had rescued from an antique shop. Big Ted was rather poorly, so I had to mend and darn many holes, re-stitch some seams, add stuffing, tighten his joints, and replace all his paw pads. I also restored his voice by giving him a new growler, and topped up his nose embroidery.

Belinda W.'s Little Ted before treatment

Little Ted, though he looked quite sad on arrival, did not require quite as much work. A good clean immediately improved his looks and mood, and he was most grateful for his two new English glass eyes, and his re-embroidered nose and smile.

1 May

Sometimes a patient's name on their admission form for Sasha's Teddy Bear Hospital makes me raise an eyebrow. Yet when I saw 45-year-old Hercules, I realised that the name suited him: though not huge, he was clearly a mighty bear. His labours had left him with many injuries, so I set about restoring his health. I mended all the holes in his skin, re-stuffed him, gave him a new nose, and put his missing eye back. Finally, I re-embroidered his smile, and Hercules was fit again and ready to resume his labours.

Another patient with an unusual name was Bimbi. After a good clean, I re-stuffed him, replaced his worn-out paw pads, and re-embroidered his nose. Though it was hard to read his expression, I thought he was quite pleased with the care that he received.

I have not had many hand puppets among my patients, so I was pleased to be able to help Bun the Fluppet Rabbit. I washed him, replaced the inside of his ears, and mended some small holes. Happy with his treatment, Bun merrily hopped off back home.

18 April

Skittles the Unicorn was in a bad way when admitted to Sasha's Teddy Bear Hospital, with a huge hole on her side. She was shedding stuffing through the hole and was unable to stand. I mended that hole and some smaller ones, added stuffing and cleaned her, and Skittles was ready to prance and caper again, as unicorns do))

My next patient was Rabbit, one of two identical twins who had accompanied their owner all her life (she is graduating this year). Rabbit was usually carried around held by the neck, so while his head was in good nick, everything below was not, and he bore traces of various multicoloured repairs that his owner applied over the years. Following the owner's wishes, I unstitched them all, reinforced Rabbit's skin round the neck and elsewhere, and re-stuffed his body and limbs, so Rabbit can now sit comfortably.

Next came 34-year-old Bear, whom his owner had since she was six weeks old. In addition to cleaning, re-stuffing and mending holes, I faithfully recreated Bear's original hat and onesie, which he was wearing under two other layers of clothing added over the years.

12 April

Over a year ago, I was asked to make five "memory bears" commemorating a much loved mother and grandmother who had recently passed away.

I received some of her favourite items of clothing to make the bears from, and soon they were ready.

Some time later, I made another memory bear, for a newborn baby in the family.

And now I have finished Memory Bear No.7, who is rather special, as she will be a bridesmaid at a wedding next month.

2 April

I only had to start making new Teddies, and now they are coming thick and fast))

So please all welcome Isla! She is just 4?" tall, made of soft brushable mohair, and filled with polyfill and fine woodwool.

Isla is a trustworthy and dependable little bear who always tries to keep her word.

She has recently become fascinated with the smell of coffee, and she can already tell her Arabica from her Robusta!

When she grows up, Isla says she wants to become a famous bearista.

1 April

Kit-Boy arrived in Sasha's Teddy Bear Hospital with a nasty hole on his muzzle, his nose nearly falling off. I treated his wound, gave him a gentle clean, and added some stuffing to his neck and shoulders, so he was a picture of health when he checked out a few days later. "He is looking fabulous!" was how Kit-Boy's owner summed it up.

Two nice traditional Teddies belonging to two siblings did not spend long in the Hospital either. The German-made Clemens bear only needed two paw pads on his feet replaced with new felt, while his good friend had to have all four paw pads replaced, and his Merrythought label transferred.

An older Teddy Bear, aged about 65, only came for a re-stuffing. Given his age, I was very impressed with his overall condition: his fur - particularly after I cleaned it - looked as good as new.

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